Exclusive Interview: Scott Borchetta and Chris Stacey on BMLG Launch of Dot Records

Big Machine Label Group is adding another label to its umbrella of imprints, which already includes Big Machine Records, Republic Nashville and The Valory Music Co.
Dot Records will be led by former Warner Music Nashville promotion exec Chris Stacey. “We continue to learn and continue to re-engineer nonstop,” BMLG founder and CEO Scott Borchetta told MusicRow. “It felt like the perfect time to take on that research and development and hit the reset button and bring in great new executive energy. Chris is someone I’ve wanted to work with for some time. I’ve never seen him lie down and he is a serial entrepreneur. When we first met, I realized we both have this amazing desire to continue to stretch the boundaries, and we love the excitement of starting new companies. Watching what he did at Warner Bros. the past several years was so impressive. I thought, ‘Ok, maybe instead of having to fight with him, I can join him,’ so this is the opportunity.”
BMLG revives the name of the independent label that operated from 1950-1977. “The name is synonymous with being a great Middle Tennessee-based record company, and when you look back in history at why it was started, and the entrepreneurial spirit around it, and then what it ultimately became with servicing all kinds of different music. To bring back a heritage imprint to be part of the Big Machine Label Group portfolio, we just couldn’t find any holes in it,” said Borchetta. “Every time we brought it up, we thought it was cool. The more we’ve learned about its heritage, it’s just made sense.”

Servicing different genres of music is indeed a potential part of the plan for the new imprint. “What’s great about our new company is that it’s a partnership with Monte Lipman and the folks at Universal, which means we are a Nashville-based label, with global capabilities,” said Stacey. “We put the music first and we put the format behind that. We are not necessarily worried about format. It will be primarily a Country-based label because we are here in Nashville, and that is our center lane of what we do. But we definitely have an opportunity with the new company that if something comes along that doesn’t fit in the middle lane we can certainly put it in other lanes and get into that business.”
Like Republic Nashville, Dot Records will be a joint venture between Nashville-based Big Machine Label Group and New York’s Republic Records. Borchetta and Stacey could not confirm any artist signings to Dot Records at this time. “We are in the process of looking for the best music and the best people for our team. It is coming soon. The model will be very similar to what you see at the other BMLG imprints,” said Stacey.
Big Machine Label Group launched in 2005, and is home to artists including Taylor Swift, Reba, The Band Perry, Thomas Rhett, Florida Georgia Line, Rascal Flatts, Eli Young Band, Danielle Bradbery, Brantley Gilbert, Cassadee Pope, and numerous others.